Improved brick-machine



.W jai/vif 27M Wifi/kifi AM. PHOTO* LiTH U. C0. NX. (OSBORN E'S PROCES) UNrrED STATES PATENT Ormea.

BENJAMIN M. GARD, OFl OHAMPAIGN COUNTY, OHIO.

IMPROVED BRICK-MACHINE.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 55,274., dated June 5, 1866.

' invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Making Bricks 5 and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 represents an elevation of the machine from one of its ends. Fig. 2 represents a section taken through the red line or of Fig. l. Fig. 3 represents a section taken at the red line y y of Fig. 2. Fig. 4L represents one of the followers that operate in the molds, with the devices for raising and lowering and locking and unlocking the hinged lid thereof, Sac.

Similar letters of reference where they occur in the separate figures denote like parts of the machine in all the drawings.

Myinvention consists, first,in making a conical or tapering bottom to the clay-tub and working therein a similarly-shaped screw, the object being to avoid making the screw work over dead space, as will be explained.

My invention further consists in holding the pressure-plate, against which the clay in the mold is pressed upward, to its place by wooden pins, so that in case a stone should accidentally be thrown into the clay-tub and become jammed therein the pins will break and allow said plate to yield, and thus save the machine from damage by breaking other material parts.

It further consists in pivoting the scraper that dresses off the top of the clay by a single pivot to its shank and making ythe shank adjustable on the frame, by which means the scraper will more effectually and accurately dress off the cla)T at the top of the mold.

It further consists in extending the track which gives pressure to the clay in the mold, in addition to what it receives from the screw, beyond the clay-tub, so that it will receive a second or additional pressure thereby.

It further consists in a self locking and unlocking mechanism workin gin connection with the hinged lids of the followers, so that the lid cannot rise when the mold or follower is drawn down, but can rise at the proper time to dcliver the pressed clay onto the table.

It further consists in the cam on the under side of the lid, in connection with the pin operated by the ledge, for allowing the lid toshut down without catching or being held by said pin. v

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use myinvention, I will proceed to describe the same with reference to the drawings.

A represents a substantial frame, made doubly strong by tie-rods B, in which frame a table, O, is supported and caused to turn around by a sweep, D, and pinion E, which latter gears into a cogged wheel, F, on the shaft G of said revolving table, and thus gives it motion. The sweep D is on top of a shaft, H, that passes down into the clay-tub I, and is supported therein at J. This shaft is furnished with arms or breakers a, for mixing the clay in the usual way. Thelowerend, I', ofthe clay-tub is drawn in or contracted to about the dimensions of the molds in their greatest dimensions, and the screw K at the bottom of the shaft H is correspondingly tapered, so that it shall not work over dead space-that is, so that there shall be'but little or no space around the molds for the clay to hang on or be pressed against-the whole efficiency of thescrew being` expended on forcing the clay into the molds b as they come under the clay-tub.

The clay-tub I is divided vertically and the two parts connected, as at c, so that by drawing out a bolt or rod one part may swing around upon the other, and thus gain ready access to the interior of the tub for repairs or for cleaning it out, or even for removing or replacing the entire shaft H, screw, arms, and all, which otherwise would require the frame and almostthe entire machine to be taken apart.

d is plate which forms a section or part of the curb L around the bottom of the clay-tub I, and this section or plate is secured in its place by two wooden pins, c e, which are sufficiently strong for all ordinary purposes; but when, by accident, (which often happens,) a stone is thrown into the tub with the clay, and the screw taking it and forcing it against the curb with its force, if of any appreciable size, it will jam and break the machine., To prevent this l arrange this sectional plate cl so that when undue pressure, as from a stone, comes against it the pins c e will break and allow the section to slip back, and thus relieve the machine. When the stone or other hard substance is removed the plate is restored to its position and new pins putin tosecure it in place.

The scraper M is secured to and made adj ustable on the plate d by means of its shank N, and instead of being fastened permanently to the shank the scraper is pivoted thereto at j', so that it can move in the line of its length when anyharder substance than the clay passes under it. If made rigid on the shank, any hard substance touching its edge would raise it up throughout its entire length but when pivotedM it will yield at one end without rising at the other, and still accomplish its work.

Underneath the sectional plated there is another plate, g, fastened toand made a part ot' the one d, and this plate g extends'beyond the one d, making an extended surface for the clay in the mold that has just passed out from under the clay-tub to be pressed against the track O at the point h, as seen in Fig. 2, rising slightly for this purpose, so that when the friction-roller P underneath the mold b mounts this slight rise it will give the clay additional pressure and compactness beyond that which it receives by being forced into the molds by the screw K.

The table C rests upon friction-rolls Q, to facilitate its turning around, and has in it any suitable number of openings for the molds, (three being only shown in the drawings, but ten, fteen, or twenty may be used, or more,)

which pass around successively under the clay- 1 tub -to receive their charge of clay, receive their secondv pressure under the plate g, the tops carefully scraped or scored oft', and then deliver the pressed clay upon its edge on the table, whence it is removed to be dried previous to-burning or taken immediately to the kiln.

The molds b are made to move up anddown in the table by means of their friction-rolls l), riding upon an ascending and descending track or cam-plane, O, suitably made for that purpose, the molds being at their lowest position at or under the clay-tub, and at their highest position after passing the scraper M, where the i pressed clay is delivered.

The molds Zi have each a hinged lid, 1", which forms their top portion, and in addition to their friction-roll P have a bolt-shaped piece, j, which, when passing over a track suitably made therefor, is forced upward, and, coming in contact with a cam-projection, k, on the lid i, raises up said lid and the pressed clay upon it and turns it over onto the table on its edge, whenceit is removed in any proper manner. The bolt j then running oft' or dropping down from the track, the cam 7c presses upon its head and the lid falls back into its horizontal position, its (the cams) peculiar form preventing it from cramping the head of the bolt, and thus remaining half or partially closed only, in which position the machine or mold'would be endangeredinits after operations. Thereis, moreover, a hooked arm, Z, on each mold, which takes under a cam- 1edge,m, on the the track as they pass around,

and by which the mold is drawn downinto the table to form the chamber for receiving the next charge of clay. In drawing down the mold b by the hook Z, the lid i, unless fastened to the mold at this time, would be caught and held, and thus swing on its hinges and leave the mold in improper condition for receiving the charge. It therefore becomes important that the lid at this time should be locked down, so as to maintain its proper position, but be unlocked again when or before it arrives at the point where it delivers its pressed brick or ibrnn which becomes a brick when burned.

f For this purpose I arrange a trigger or tumbler, a, pivoted to the mold and extending downward, and which, when it is brought against the cam-ledge o, moves a bolt, 2, as seen in Fig. 4, and locks the lid fast, so that `in drawing down the mold the lid will not clog, drag, or raise. The lidi remains thus locked until the tumbler a comes around against a plane or \vedge,p, Fig.2, when it is moved in the opposite direction and shifts the bolt 2 and unlocks the lid, so that it can rise to deliver the pressed brick, as heretofore described.

Instead of both of the pins c being of wood, Aone only-namely, that one nearest the shaft H-may be of wood, and the other of metal, so that the wooden may break and the plate swing around on the other one, thus relieving itself 1of a stone or other hard matt-er accidentally :getting into the clay-tub.

what I claim therein as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. Making the bottom of the clay-tub of a yconical form, when used' in combination with 3a tapering screw for forcing the clay into the mold underneath the tub, in the manner and for the purpose herein described.

2. A sectional plate, d, held to its place by wooden pins that will break whenv a stone gets jammed in by the screw and give way, thus fpreserving the machine from greater damage, ias described.

3. Making the scraper-shank adjustable, in combination with the pivoting oi' the scraper on said shank, as and for the purpose described.

4. In combination with the pressure-plate g "on top of the table, the rise 7i in the track o underneath-said plate, for the purpose of giving the clay additional pressure over what it receives from being packed in by the screw, substantially as described.

5. In combination with the molds, a locking land unlocking mechanism that is automati- :cally operated for locking and unlocking the lid of the mold at stated intervals, as set forth.

f 6. In combination with the pinj, having a bolt-head on its top, the cam lc on the under side ofthe lid, so that these rounded surfaces may meet without liability ot' the lid jamming the bolt, and thus preventing it from falling into its proper position, as described. i BENJAMIN M. GARD. Witnesses:

A. B. SToUGHToN,

B. G.F1TZHUGH.

Having thus fully described my invention, l 

